


Mythologic Symbolism

by princeymarmar



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Art History, Background Seliph/Ares, Fictional Art History, Gen, Nonbinary Character, gay symbolism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:55:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21575596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princeymarmar/pseuds/princeymarmar
Summary: When their tactician comes in late one night, waving around a painting that half their army allegedly has similar copies of, Seliph decides to let the man in on a secret of Art History and Symbolism.Naturally, it's a whole lot bigger than that.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	Mythologic Symbolism

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone who encouraged me and said that this was a great idea is happy with the result.
> 
> This was, in part, inspired by the story of St. Sebastian and how he became a symbol of gay iconography! I heard of that and my immediate reaction was "how can I convert that into Jugdral Worldbuilding?" I'd like to think that my answer is both logical and absolutely correct.

When someone pushes aside the opening flap of their tent late in the evening, Seliph doesn't even need to look up from their desk to know it's their tactician. “Ah, Levin! What is it?”

“Seliph.” The tactician’s voice is, as usual, stern and mostly firm - except for one odd waver of an emotion Seliph can't quite place. They lift their head to look at him just as he slams something down on their desk, causing them to almost leap out of their seat in shock. “What is this?”

Seliph glances rapidly between the former king and the painting he just slammed on their desk. It’s… they've certainly seen this design before, they think. In fact, they _know_ they have. They _know,_ because they have a painting just like it, all rolled up in one of the scroll cases in the corner. They'd been meaning to show it to Ares, sometime, but the opportunity had yet to-

Oh. Yes. Levin’s question. “It's a painting,” they say, just to start. Levin stares down at them, unamused, and they know that's not the answer he's looking for - so they elaborate. “A painting of the bloodpact between Forseti and Crusader Seti. You should be able to recognize it, Levin; you come from Silesia, after all.”

“Of course I recognize it,” Levin snaps, somehow managing to sound even terser than usual. “What I want to know is, why I found it in the hands of your non-Silesian cousin.”

Seliph blinks. “Leif is friends with Asbel, and Asbel is like family to your s- Sety. Maybe he got it from him?”

Levin sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Your other cousin. Altena.”

“Oh.” Seliph swallows. There isn't much they can do to explain without outing Altena; saying that the only surprising thing here is that it’s not a portrait of Ulir wouldn't really do much to explain if Levin doesn't understand this image. “Perhaps she got it from Leif?”

“Don't,” says Levin, heaving a heavy sigh before leaning with one hand on the desk. “He has one, as well. She was just the one who was willing and kind enough to let me hold onto it for a moment, even if she refused to explain what it meant. And it's not just them.” He raises his hand again, counting off on his fingers with every name he lists. “Skasaher. Lester. Faval. _Johalva_. Even _Ares_ , or at least, so I suspect by his reaction, which was to grow very flustered and pretend he had no idea what I was talking about.”

Seliph’s heart does cartwheels, and they resolve to talk to Ares sooner than they'd been planning. “And?”

“And, none of you are from Silesia.” Levin pinches the bridge of his nose again. “I'd understand it if you were. Hell, I'd understand it if you were primarily Forseti worshippers. But none of you are. And so I would very much like to understand: why the _fuck_ does half your army have art of, very specifically, the bloodpact between Crusader Seti and Forseti?”

They could lie again. They could say they have no idea, or that he was reading too much into it, or that Seti was simply the most popular crusader without explicitly stating _why._

But Levin doesn't seem like the sort who'd be upset about these things. Silesia was, after all, one of the more progressive countries (at least, before Grannvale had conquered it), and Levin himself seemed progressive, forward-thinking, was certainly supportive enough that he’d immediately and unquestioningly used they for Seliph after being told. He's just confused, and out of the loop. So, Seliph decides to clue him in.

"What do Forseti and Seti have in common?” they start. Levin frowns down at them, brow furrowing.

“Everything, obviously. The gods chose their crusaders based on whoever’s ideals were closest to their own.”

Seliph shakes their head and sighs. “No, no - well, I suppose that, too? But. What do _they_ have in common, that no other crusader and god pair has?”

Levin still doesn’t look like he understands, so Seliph decides it’s best to be straightforward. “They are both hot young twinks, Levin. The reason so many people in the army have paintings of them is - well - it's like… think of it as a codeword. A visual cue so that everyone in the know knows that you're gay, and everyone who isn't just thinks you're religious, or like art history.”

They finish, and smile rather innocently up at Levin. He stares back down at them, wide-eyed and unblinking. “What?” he asks, after a moment, and his voice comes out very small.

“Having a painting of the Bloodpact of Forseti and Crusader Seti is a signal to other gay folk in Jugdral that you, too, are gay - usually a gay man, though sometimes lesbians like Altena will use it, too. Because nothing is more sensual than a young hot twink feeding another young hot twink his blood!”

Levin sways on his feet, staring down at the painting. “Oh,” he says, very distantly. Then, he seems to come back to himself, swiping the painting back off Seliph’s desk before briskly turning about and heading for the exit. “Well then. Thank you, Seliph. I suppose I should be returning this to Altena now. Good night.”

And with that, he’s gone, and Seliph is left to wonder if they’d imagined the way his face was reddening.

* * *

It’s all done and over now. The war has been won, and peace shall be restored to Jugdral. It’s still a long road ahead - but Seliph would like to think they’re better equipped for this than they ever were for war. Besides, they’re not alone; they still have all their friends by their side, and their husband, Ares, too - so they can make it through anything.

Even if…

Seliph turns just in time to catch a glimpse of their tactician, shifting in the doorway of the castle, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t being followed. His hands are empty; there’s no rucksack over his shoulder, or any other luggage around him. And yet, Seliph knows that this is the last time he will ever see this man again. It brings a strange ache to their chest to see - but deep down, they suppose they’ve always known it would come to this. “Planning to leave so soon?”

Levin almost jumps out of his skin; apparently, not even his sharp senses had alerted him to their presence before. “Ah. Seliph. I can’t say I was expecting to see you here.”

“I thought I’d see you off,” they tell him. “...You are leaving, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I’m afraid I’ve long overstayed my welcome.” Levin sighs heavily, looking anywhere but their face. “As much as I hate to say goodbye, it’s time for me to go on my journey, too.”

Seliph sighs as well, far softer, staring up at him with a sad smile. ”Levin… from the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I don’t know where we’d be without you; you’ve always been watching over us.”

Levin shrugs. “I was just doing my duty.”

“Yes, I understand, but… You sacrificed so much just to do your duty. You guided me, everyone, and I don’t think any of us will ever forget the debt we owe you for as long as we live, Levin.” They pause, before their lips twitch into a slightly wider, slightly more genuine smile. “Or should I say, Forseti?”

Levin freezes but a moment, staring at him - before his face breaks out into the widest and most genuine smile Seliph has ever seen on him. “Ha. I guess I really couldn’t keep it a secret from you forever, could I? Yes, I am Forseti. And so I have been for a very long time. I am the wind, a wind whose breath is meant to guide the warm radiance of light. And that light is there in the heart of each and every one of you.”

“You broke all the rules that you said came into existence after the first Crusaders,” Seliph says, shaking their head in silent wonder. “You got involved to save us when no one else could, or would. How can we ever repay you?”

Forseti’s smile softens, and he shakes his head. “I didn’t come to save you for repayment, Seliph. Besides, I’ve caused almost as much harm as I’ve helped, and I am not so blind that I can’t acknowledge my flaws and shortcomings. I ought to thank you, as well. You and your army have already given me more than I have ever deserved. I truly cannot thank you enough for the gift - gifts - you have given me.”

Seliph blinks and tilts their head; though they sort of understand what Forseti is referring to, they’re still not quite sure. Before they can ask what he means, though, he inhales sharply, and glances towards the horizon. “Well. I must be going now. Farewell, Seliph.”

He turns away and starts down the path away from Belhalla, whistling a tune under his breath. Seliph watches him as he goes, the sadness slowly creeping its way back into their smile - until a thought strikes them.

“You never did return that painting to Altena, did you.”

Forseti freezes in his tracks. He hesitates for a long while, slowly turning his head until Seliph catches a glimpse of one eye, far brighter that Levin’s had ever been - and then he laughs. “You can’t prove anything!” he announces, and then he takes off running, faster than any human, faster than the wind itself. He disappears into the trees, and a few moments later, a great dragon rises from them, iridescent seafoam green and blue. He beats his feathery wings once, twice, and then a gust of wind comes along and takes him with it, soaring effortlessly eastward.

Seliph watches him disappear, holding up one hand to shade their eyes - and this is how Ares finds him, just before Forseti disappears entirely. “What on earth are you doing,” he starts, staring in the same direction as Seliph; he stops, does a double-take, squints as though he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing. Seliph turns to him, a broad smile on his face.

“Oh! Haven’t you heard? Forseti says gay rights!”

**Author's Note:**

> In case it's not clear - Ulir is, at least in this interpretation, the Crusader associated with Lesbians. Altena probably has a portrait of Seti and Forseti instead because arrow associations are just a bit more unpleasant when you are a wyvern rider.
> 
> I know he's localized as Ced and previously was Sety but since his name was very clearly meant to be the same as the last half of Forseti's - I like to just call him Crusader Seti. I Do like to think his original name before meeting Forseti was Ced(ric), but, like, there's a level of gay to renaming yourself after your god whom you have homoerotic tensions with.
> 
> I took liberties with the ending dialogue because just taking it directly from the script is always boring. It can be made better. It is EXCELLENT in the game but less excellent when forcibly converted into novelized form. so.


End file.
